


Fates and Choice

by orphan_account



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/M, Female My Unit | Kamui | Corrin, Gen, Invisible Kingdom | Revelation Route, can be viewed as romantic or platonic, corrin needs a break, leo tries to help
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:01:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22526731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Corrin feels unworthy of leading such large armies without having much knowledge or experience of leading one. Leo tries to make her understand that she isn’t alone.Mid-Revolution.
Relationships: Leon | Leo & My Unit | Kamui | Corrin, Leon | Leo/My Unit | Kamui | Corrin
Comments: 1
Kudos: 20





	Fates and Choice

Placing a few of his tomes into the satchel that he had enhanced to hold unlimited supplies, Leo jumps when he hears a knock at his door, then relaxes when the deep baritone of Xander’s voice floats through the door. “We leave at dawn, brother. It’s time to find Corrin and put an end to her troublemaking.”

_We’ll leave at midnight. The horses are fresh, and we’ll reach Corrin by dawn. Be prepared._

Biting his lips, he paces the length of his room as Xander’s words repeated themselves over and over again, and the hidden meaning they’d agreed on behind those words. There were eyes everywhere in Nohr. No one could afford to make a mistake. He still had a few hours to midnight. As an afterthought, Leo clips a dagger to the underside of his boot.

Finally, the twelfth toll signalling midnight and the guards’ changing shift chimes as Leo slips out of his room, boots padding through the carpeted floors quietly. Moving swiftly, he cuts through the hidden wall of the library to the stables, Brynhildr tucked firmly under his arm. Emerging to the scent of horses, the stuffing of the stables crackles under his boot as he heads straight to Agnar’s stable. His faithful steed has been saddled and groomed, courtesy of Owain and Niles. Walking Agnar out, he’s not surprised to see Xander’s retainers, along with his, already saddled up and ready to go. Xander walks out with Zonas soon after, Siegfried strapped to his side.

And just like that, the six of them are off, the dark coats of their steeds blending in with the black sky as they ride to find their sister.

Relishing the wind in his face, Leo urges Agnar on, soothing his steed when the skies changes colour. In front of him, a loud roar causes him to exchange glances with Xander before he whips Brynhildr out and spurs the horses on.

_Hang in there, Corrin. We’re coming. Let’s hope the devil bestows upon you his luck again._

Leo flips the pages of his book, his eyes skimming through the words and not registering any of its contents. It was still hard to believe that less than an hour ago, he’d been nearly shot to death by Takumi, betrayed King Garon, fought off soldiers from Nohr, jumped off a bottomless cliff, and found a third existing kingdom beneath. Honestly, he was more than surprised that his brain hadn’t combusted yet. Snapping the book shut, he flops down on his bed and stares at the ceiling, trying to think of something he could do. Night had fallen, and everyone in camp was probably sleeping. There’s no way he could try training lest he wake the entire camp up. Perhaps he could risk training in the forest…no, Niles would have his head. Plus, Takumi usually practised shooting in the woods at this time of night. He’d probably find himself on the other end of Fujin Yumi.

“Leo?” A soft voice whispers, and he sits up immediately. _Corrin?_ “Can I come in?”

“Corrin? Of course you can,” He replies, scrambling up from his bed to pull the flap back, only to reveal a very dishevelled Corrin standing by the front of his tent, dressed in full amour. “What’s happened to you?”

Corrin looks bad. Her black hairband no longer kept her mane of sliver back and dark shadows lurk under her eyes. She still bore wounds from the earlier battle, and her dragon stone hung freely from her neck, glowing a soothing blue. His sister sighs as she attempts to run a hand through her mussed hair, slivery locks tumbling down in a mess, and Leo rolls his eyes at the first line that comes out of her mouth. “Are you okay, Leo? I didn’t barge in on anything important, did I?”

“Corrin, you’re my sister. Perhaps not blood-related, but its close enough. I think any work I have shouldn’t be prioritised over my sibling, right?” Leo asks, raising a brow, observing her wounds. “You really are too kind for your own good. Also, you look terrible. You should be resting. Leading two kingdoms that used to be at each other’s neck into battle in uncharted territory probably isn’t the easiest thing to accomplish. And sit. That’s an order. I’m going to treat those wounds of yours. I’m not Elise, but you’re a fool not to get them healed.”

“Always as blunt as ever, Leo. But I can’t sleep. And I know you’ve been starting me on tactics lessons…but I’d like to try magic too. Or would that be too troublesome for you? I understand if it is,” Corrin replies, dropping down on his chair.

Striding over to his satchel, he rummages around and pulls out an old staff and simple tome before handing it over to Corrin. “Being eager to learn new things certainly is commendable, but you’re going to end up exhausting yourself before we even get close to defeating Anankos. Plus, magic cannot just 'be learnt'. You must possess a certain aptitude for it, or all learning will be in vain.”

“But…”

“If you’re wondering, you don’t have to be like Xander and Ryoma in order to be a model leader,” Leo replies, reading her thoughts. As he stands by her, hand aglow with magic drawn from one of Elise’s old staffs. _You’ve always been such an open book. And a little too reckless for my liking._

He watches the gentle, pale-blue magic dance around her wounds as torn skin seamlessly closes together again and ugly purple bruises smooth back to her natural skin colour. Corrin visibly relaxes andlets her shoulder droop, before stiffening up again as the magic takes effect.

“Xander and Ryoma…they’re born leaders. They were _raised_ to rule and lead, Leo. I’m just a girl whose been locked in a tower for most of my life, no experience to call my own, leading _two_ armies together to attack a foe none of you have ever heard of until today,” Corrin says so quietly that Leo barely manages to hear it as he stows away the now-useless staff back into his satchel. “I should hand over the reins to them. The only thing I’ve been trained in is the sword. Nothing else.”

Much to her chagrin, Leo wordlessly takes back the tome from her hands as he drops it back into his satchel. “Corrin, do you know why I decided to learn magic instead of the sword?”

Shaking her head, he notes the confusion in her eyes. “I thought you’ve always studied magic…” Corrin trails off, pulling her legs into herself and curling into a ball.

He chuckles bitterly before he looks at the ground and plops down on his bed, the use of healing magic exhausting him. “I used to train in swordplay. But Xander…he bested me in everything. Running, swordsmanship, lance work, equestrian skills, archery, axe-play,you name it. His only weakness was magic. I knew it was impossible to best him. So I chose the only path where he would never excel. I stopped training in weaponry, devoted myself to the arcane arts. Everyone was focusing on weapons, even Camilla. So I sought to be different from everyone else, just so I wouldn’t be compared. Elise was forced into healing magic by us, and though it is magic, she is virtually defenceless on the battlefield.”

“Leo…I’m so sorry…I didn’t know,” Corrin whispers, casting a glance at Brynhildr.

“You needn’t apologise. After all, you were the one who told me to find my own path,” Leo smiles, “I think it’s your turn to find yours. Corrin, you need to know that you’re _more_ than what Xander and Ryoma are. They’ve been born with the pressure of crown prince, and had to learn how to lead, and what is expected of them. You lead with kindness and innocence. If it weren’t for you, I certainly would not be standing here now, don’t you think? You managed to bring two countries who were life-long enemies together to fight an unknown force. You chose to defy both your birthright of royalty and families to look for a third solution; peace. No one in this army is strong enough to make that choice, no matter how unorthodox, and I certainly could not do that. You’ve opened our eyes to the greater evil, Corrin. Xander and Ryoma would never have done that.The people of Nohr and Hoshido are their utmost priority. We were lashing at each other’s necks for gods know how long, until you bring us a solution of peace.”

“I…Thank you, Leo. I know _I_ should be the one solving _your_ problems since I’m your older sister, but I always feel it’s the other way around,” She forces a smile, sadness masked behind her false wall of strength.

“Of course. There’s nothing I can’t solve. Now, since you’re looking like you can’t sleep, let’s continue from were we left off,” Leo decides, pulling out the thick book of strategy from his satchel.

“Do you ever feel any ounce of humbleness flowing in that big brain of yours?” Corrin huffs as Leo flips the book open to a passage about attacking a fortress.

“Absolutely not. There’s not enough storage for such trivial things like humility. Pages 394 to 400. Let’s work on offence today. Also…don’t smile with such a sad look in your eyes. It’s unnecessary to mask your true emotions when you’re with me.”

**Author's Note:**

> So my personal hc is that healing with white magic often leaves that person physically exhausted, unless they're experienced, and (depending) magic can be drawn from objects like a staff to heal others, but its magic capacity will be drained 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed, and if you did, please leave a kudos or comment! Those really make my day and I'll be sure to try and respond to your comments!


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